Today you get to hear from my independent-study student, Andrea Hitefield:
Creative nonfiction (CNF). The new genre. Jon Franklin, two-time Pulitzer Prize winnerdescribes it as that genre which “combines the appeal, excitement, and readingease of fiction with the specific information content of nonfiction" (Writing for Story, 26). This genre usesliterary style and creative techniques to present factual content. Written withthe accuracy and attention of a journalist yet with the intrigue and comfort offiction, CNF can transform an obituary into a moving portrayal of a young man’slast days. Or a routine medical procedure can captivate the reader through aheart-pounding tale of a battle between white blood cells and their enemy. CNF comes in the form of an essay, memoir, narrative history, article, travelwriting, documentary drama, literary journalism, and biography.
Three ways you can get started writingcreative nonfiction:
Find Inspiration. Everywhere. It takes practice to see astory. Questioneverything. Why did he tap his feet in line? Why did she order decaf? Curiosityleads to discovery. Discovery leads to story. And story can lead to the truth.As Christian writers, we can use the story God has set before us to bring Himglory. But we cannot find an answer without asking the question.Write what you love, not what you know. Incorporate what you enjoy into your non-fiction for aunique style. If you enjoy mystery, add some dramatic elements to yournarrative on economic collapse. If you love reading cookbooks, capitalize onthe methodical explanation and vivid brief descriptions of each step. Incorporatewhat you enjoy.Forgetthe rules… then remember the rules. Avoid the assumption that all reading must develop your grammarskills. Reading only books on writing technique will deplete creativity. Your piece may end up sounding like a textbook. Read creative nonfictionpieces. Read the newspaper, read biographies, read what you like. Read fiction.Read cereal boxes. Read.
Your writing must invite the reader to participate in theaction. So avoid passive voice; it leaves the reader behind the scenes.Stories have action. Action moves. Passivevoice does not move. To determine if your character does the action, ask: “Is mycharacter on the left side of the verb?”
Story needs plot, character development, and structure. Allstories have a complication and a resolution. If these do not match, the storyhas failed to communicate. Despite the fact that you're writing nonfiction, feel free to incorporateelements of fiction.
What next? Write. Just write. Write your own story. Write someoneelse’s story. No expectations, no disappointment. Just write. And check out thefollowing books to ramp up your writing:
TellingTrue Stories by Mark Kramer and Wendy Call gives the opportunity toeavesdrop on professionals in the nonfiction world through brief vignettes ofadvice.
OnWriting Well by William Zinsser gives a classic overview of writingnonfiction.
Writingfor Story by Jon Franklin offers his two prize-winning articles and a fullwalk-through of their creative process.
